


Home Is Where The Heart Is

by Destielisdestiney



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Cooking, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, M/M, Sharing a Bed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-04 01:47:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15831240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Destielisdestiney/pseuds/Destielisdestiney
Summary: Takes place after S2x15: Oswald convinces Ed to give up on his plans to frame Jim and the two men move in together.





	Home Is Where The Heart Is

Ed had never really had a friend before.

Not really.

There had been a time when he thought Jim was his friend, but it was easy to see that Jim just pitied him. There were never any invitations to join Jim and Harvey for lunch. Never any effort to talk to him other than a polite hello, and a few seconds of conversation.

It wasn’t until he rescued Oswald in the woods that he discovered what real friendship was.

Ed got used to having someone sitting across the table when he ate, someone to play the piano for, someone to sing with, someone to talk to on the phone, and someone to lay next to in the bed.

Then, when Oswald went to Arkham, it was all taken away.

His apartment had never felt so alone.

So, when Oswald showed up on his doorstep and asked him to reconsider his road to villainy, Ed couldn’t help but agree.

…

It wasn’t the same as before.

Arkham had really done some damage to his friend.

Oswald wasn’t the same man.

He was more helpful and considerate.

Edward wasn’t sure he liked it.

Oswald offered to find a job, but Ed assured him that it wasn’t necessary. Ed had no trouble providing for the two of them…at least until whatever happened to Oswald at Arkham had worn off.

Still, Oswald wanted to do something for Ed.

That’s why Ed found himself coming home from work to find Oswald in his kitchen cooking. There was a cookbook on the counter and Oswald was wearing one of his old lab coats as if it were an apron. There were pots and pans stacked on almost every surface of the kitchen with what must have been earlier attempts at…something.

Oswald had been so proud of himself for successfully cooking dinner. And it had been all right. Oswald had used a little too much salt and it was a bit dry. But Ed forced himself to eat every bite and to compliment the chef. The way Oswald beamed at him made it worth it.

But he made sure to subtly leave a few pamphlets for cooking classes around the apartment for Oswald to stumble upon and pretended to be shocked when Oswald signed up.

…

Oswald desire to cook expanded further than dinner and Oswald started making breakfast in the morning and making Ed a lunch to take with him to work.

“Got a woman at home?” Harvey asked, and Ed looked up from his lunch confused, “Your clothes are ironed, someone’s been making your lunches, and yesterday you called home to say that you’d be late for dinner,”

Ed just continued to stare.

“Leave him alone, Harvey,” Jim said, in his overly righteous tone, “It’s nice to see you happy again, Ed,”

Ed gave the two a shaky smile, before packing up his lunch and all but running away.

It wasn’t until later that night, when he was sleeping next to Oswald, that he realized that Harvey had been implying that he was in a relationship.

How odd.

It was a few days later, as he and Oswald were watching tv together on his couch, that he thought to ask Oswald about it.

“Oswald?” Ed asked, and Oswald glanced away from the episode of House M.D, “Have you ever been in a relationship?”

“Why do you ask?” Oswald looked away.

“Just something the guys at the GCPD were talking about.” Ed mumbled, “It made me curious,”

“Not really,” Oswald said, “The only person I ever really cared about was my mother.”

“Oh.”

“And now you,” Oswald smiled at him and Ed smiled back, feeling light, “Well, I better get started on dinner,”

Ed placed his hand on Oswald’s arm, stopping him from standing.

“How about I take you out to dinner?” Ed suggested.

Ed took Oswald to Bella Luce, an Italian restaurant that he’d heard Lee talking about. They had an enjoyable time. Oswald even asked if the chef would be willing to share his recipe. Oswald had lamented that they didn’t go out more often and Ed suggested that maybe they would go out to eat again next Saturday.

Somehow it ended up being a weekly thing.

…

Ed should not have been surprised that his outings with Oswald would be noticed.

“So, I heard Penguin was released from Arkham,” Jim commented, cornering him at a crime scene, “Have you heard from him?”

“Yes,” Ed said, simply and tried to walk around him, but Jim grabbed his arm.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Ed,” Jim looked concerned, “Oswald isn’t…he has a habit of using people for his own gain,”

“And you don’t,” Ed snapped, before he could stop himself.

“I just don’t want you getting hurt,” Jim continued.

“Oswald won’t hurt me,” Ed’s expression softened as he thought of his friend.

Oswald had called him earlier to tell him that he was baking a pie and to ask what kind Ed enjoyed.

“You don’t know him as well as you think,” Ed stated, pushing Jim’s arm out of his way, “And you don’t know me that well either,”

Later that night, when he was enjoying Oswald’s blueberry pie, Ed wondered why Oswald had never reached out to Jim since his release.

“I had a lot of time to think while I was in Arkham,” Oswald frowned, “I realized that Jim wasn’t as good of a guy as I thought. He wasn’t a real friend.”

Oswald looked sad, then he looked at Ed and something changed in his expression.

“And I don’t need him,” Oswald stood up and placed another slice of pie on Ed’s plate, “I found someone much better,”

 …

It all happened so gradually that Ed didn’t even notice. Sundays, Ed would cook because he realized how unfair it was to expect Oswald to cook for him three times a day. Mondays, Ed, and Oswald went grocery shopping together and usually stopped by to put flowers on Oswald’s mother’s grave since the flower shop was across the street. Tuesday was laundry day. Wednesdays, Oswald would usually try out a new recipe, so Ed would try to leave work early. Thursday nights they’d watch an episode of whatever show Oswald had become obsessed with (This week it was Hannibal), order takeout, and sit close together on the couch. Friday, Ed and Oswald would go to the movies, eat popcorn, and share an armrest. Saturday, Ed and Oswald would go to fancy restaurants and try new food.

And every night they would lie next to each other in bed, though recently, Oswald had started wrapping his arms around him while he slept. Ed knew that Oswald often got cold, even with a blanket, so he had no trouble sharing his warmth.

“I’m making something special for dinner. Don’t be late,” Oswald said, as he placed Ed’s lunch in his hands.

“I’ll be here,” Ed promised.

“Have a nice day at work,” Oswald said, patting Ed’s cheek, “I love you,”

Oswald leaned forward and kissed Ed on the mouth.

Ed froze.

Oswald didn’t seem to notice, going back into the kitchen and starting to wash dishes.

“Oswald?” Ed called, confused.

“Hmm?” Oswald glanced over his shoulder, his expression so innocent, as if nothing was wrong.

As if kissing Ed and telling him that he loved him were everyday occurrences. As if it were natural.

“Love you too,” Ed said, heart racing.

He was in love with Oswald.

He didn’t know when he had fallen for his friend.

But that didn’t make the feelings any less real.

Oswald smiled, and Ed dropped his lunch on the ground, walking across the room to kiss his friend again.

His boyfriend.

_And they lived a happy crime-free life for the rest of their days._

 


End file.
